Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has condemned Nigerian judges for releasing individuals accused of embezzling billions of naira allocated for arms procurement. He warned that such judicial decisions are undermining the nation’s efforts to combat terrorism and banditry.

Speaking with journalists in his Ilawe-Ekiti hometown on Saturday, Falana lamented that the courts often rely on what he described as “dubious technicalities” to discharge high-profile figures indicted for diverting security funds, even as soldiers on the frontlines remain poorly equipped.

“Members of the Armed Forces are fully capable of defeating insurgents and bandits without foreign intervention if they are properly equipped and motivated. But the neglect of key security institutions over the years has allowed criminal elements to outgun our troops. It is a shame,” he said.

Falana accused certain military officers and their civilian collaborators of misappropriating funds intended for weapons and logistics, a situation he said has been worsened by courts allowing suspects to go free.

“How can terrorism be effectively fought when money budgeted for arms and ammunition is stolen by well-known criminal elements?” he asked.

Drawing from his experience defending soldiers and officers under the Armed Forces Act, Falana emphasized that many military personnel are willing to fight insurgency but lack essential resources.

“The funds earmarked for arms procurement have been stolen by a coterie of military officers and civilian collaborators. The courts are not helping, often hiding behind technicalities to release those indicted for stealing billions meant for national security,” he stated.

Citing specific cases, Falana said a former service chief accused of stealing N22.8 billion was freed by a Federal High Court on the grounds that he was not tried before a court martial, despite the charge being money laundering—an offense under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.

He further noted that a former governor charged with stealing N6.9 billion from the Office of the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, was released without being allowed to defend himself. Other military officers and civilians implicated in misappropriating about N200 billion have similarly walked free, leaving soldiers ill-equipped due to the diversion of funds meant for military hardware.

Falana urged the government to urgently establish a mechanism to recover stolen security funds and redirect them to arms procurement.

“If the Armed Forces are equipped and motivated, Nigeria can tackle terrorism and banditry independently. Securing the nation is the constitutional duty of the government and cannot be left to foreign powers,” he said.

Reacting to the recent US airstrike on a terrorist base in Sokoto, Falana cautioned against foreign involvement that could heighten religious tensions.

“Let the government be warned not to allow foreign actors to turn Nigeria’s fight against terrorism into a religious war. Criminals who kill Nigerians do not discriminate by religion. Our counter-terrorism efforts must not divide the country along religious or ethnic lines,” he warned.

Falana also stressed that tackling insecurity requires addressing unemployment and social hardship, noting that idle youths are more likely to engage in criminal activities.

Insecurity across Nigeria worsened toward the end of last year, marked by rising incidents of banditry, killings, and kidnappings for ransom. A US-led airstrike on terrorist targets in Sokoto, reportedly with intelligence support from the Nigerian government, has generated mixed reactions nationwide.